Apparatus for regenerating exhaled air for respiration purposes.



.No. 795,678. PATBNTED JULY 25, 1905.

M. BAMBERGER, F. 1260K & F. WANZ. APPARATUS FOR REGENERATING EXHALED AIRFOR RESPIRATION PURPOSES,

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 9, 1905.

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MAX BAMBERGER, FRIEDRICH BOOK, AND FRIEDRICH WANZ, OF VIENNA,AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.

APPARATUS FOR REGENERATING EXHALED AIR FOR RESPIRATION PURPOSES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

rammed July 25, 1905.

Original application filed July 13, 1904, Serial No. 216,434. Dividedand this application filed February 9, 1905. Serial No. 244,978.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that we, MAX BAMBERGER, professor at the PolytechnicalUniversity of Vienna, Austria-Hungary, FRIEDRICH BOOK, assistantprofessor at the Polytechnical University of Vienna, Austria-Hungary,and FRIED- RICH WANZ, engineer, subjects of the Emperor ofAustria-Hungary, residing at Vienna, in the Empire of Austria-Hungary,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus forRegenerating Exhaled Air for Respiration Purposes; and we do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to an apparatus for regenerating exhaled air forrespiration purposes.

This application is adivision of our former application, filed July 13,1904:, Serial No. 214,434.

In our apparatus the exhaled air, which, besides nitrogen and a reducedquantityof oxygen, contains vapor of water and carbonic dioxid, (thelatter two forming the products of respiration,) is caused to passthrough a porous layer of alkali peroxid, such as potassium tetroxid(K204) or sodium bioxid (NazOz) or potassium sodium peroxid (KNaO3.)While the exhaled air passes through the alkali peroxid, thus cominginto intimate contact therewith, a reaction takes place in which thealkali peroxid is reduced and gives off oxygen, which mingles with theoxygen and nitrogen of the exhaled airand escapes together with them,and, on the other hand, the vapor of water and the carbonic dioxidcombine with the alkali oxid resulting from such reduction to formalkali hydroxid and alkali carbonate, respectively, as is shown by thefollowing chemical equations:

The reaction is so energetic that the materials are heated to atemperature which will not permit the alkali carbonate that may beformed by the action of carbonic dioxid on alkali hydroxid to retain anywater. Therefore the action of carbonic dioxid contained in thebreathed-out air on the alkali hydroxid formed by the action of thewater-vapors of the breathed-out air on the alkali peroxid will resultin setting free a corresponding amount of water, as will be seen fromthe following equation:

2NaOH+ CO2 I Na2CO3+ H2O,

which water will in turn decompose a corresponding quantity of alkaliperoxid, produc ing oxygen and alkali hydroxid, as above explained. Itwill be seen that the carbonic dioxid that was contained in the exhaledair, as also the vapor of water, is entirely absorbed by or combinedwith alkali oxid, while, on the other hand, the oxygen evolved duringthe reaction is added to the nitrogen and oxygen of the exhaled air. Theamount of oxygen thus added depends on the nature of the alkali peroxidused. In the case of potassium tetroxid it is notably greater and in thecase of potassium sodium peroxid slightly greater, but in the case ofsodium peroxid smaller, than the amount of oxygen that was contained inthe carbonic dioxid and the vapor of water of the breathed-out air.Therefore by mixing the alkali peroxids above named in suitableproportions we can so arrange that the amount of oxygen added to theexhaled air by the above reactions is exactly the same that wascontained in the carbonic dioxid and vapor of water of the exhaled air.The latter will then after having passed through the alkali peroxid beentirely free from carbonic dioxid and vapor of water and will containnitrogen and oxygen in exactly the same proportions as thenaturalatmospheric air, or, in other words, the exhaled air will beregenerated or transformed into atmospheric air free from anycontamination. The air thus regenerated may be breathed in againdirectly. In many cases itwill be found advantageous to use sodiumperoxid alone, which, as above set forth, does not add to the exhaledair the total amount of oxygen required, and to mix the air after havingpassed through the sodium peroxid and before being inhaled again withoxygen obtained from a separate source. In any case the amount of oxygenadded exactly corresponds to the amount of carbonic dioxid and vapor ofWater contained in the air exhaled irrespective of the irregularitiesthat may occur.

In the accompanying drawing an apparatus for regenerating exhaled air inthe man ner abovedescribed is shown by way of example, the viewshownbeing a vertical central section.

A is a receptacle, preferably cylindrical in shape. D is a central tubein the same filled with water.

B C are annular chambers in the receptacle A.

E E are filters tightly closing the chamber C at both ends andconsisting of asbestos, glass, wool, or other refractory filteringmaterial held in position between partitions of perforated sheet metalor wire-gauze.

F is a tube leading into a dome F on the top end of the receptacle andadaptedto be connected with a mask or other suitable re-' spiratoryapparatus.

H is a bag of suitable air-tight material connected by a short tube G tothe central space L in the chamber B.

J is a short tube connecting the water-tube D with the interior of thechamber B.

K is a pipe connecting the space L with the interior of the chamber B.

1 2 3 4 are partitions of sheet-lead or other similar suitable material,the partition 1 separating the dome from the filter E, the partition 2closing the top end of the tube D, the partition 3 separating the lowerend of the tube D from the tube J, and the partition 4 separating thecentral space L from the tube Gr.

5 6 7 8 are perforating-cones at the lower ends of rods 9, 10, 11, and12, respectively, and resting against the upper sides of the partitions1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. The said rods are suitably guided so thatthey are always in alinement. The upper end of the rod 9 extends out ofthe dome F and is provided with any suitable means for depressing thesame,-whi]e the upper ends of rods 11 and 12 rest against the lowersides of partitions 2 and 3, respectively.

13 is a cap adapted to snugly fit the top end of the tube D and heldagainst the lower side of the partition 1 by the upper end of rod 10.

M is a free space between the filter E and the top of chamber B.

The chamber 0 is charged with alkali peroxid, preferably sodium peroxidor a mixture of sodium peroxid and potassium tetroxid, and also chamberB is charged with alkali peroxid, and tube D is filled with water. Thepartitions 1 2 3 4 and the rods 9 1O 11 12 are brought into the positionshown, the said partitions being soldered or otherwise secured in place,so that they make an air-tight joint and prevent the alkali peroxid inchambers B and C from coming into contact with air or moisture and thewater in tube D from evaporating. The apparatus can then be kept readyfor use for an indefinite length of time. hen the apparatus has to beused, the tube F is connected with the mask or respiration apparatus ofthe user, such mask or respiration apparatus constituting thebreathing-space, and then the rod 9 is depressed, whereby also the rods10, 11, and 12 are forced downward, the partitions 1, 2, 3, and 4 areperforated simultaneously, and the cap 13 is driven onto the top end oftube D. The water from the tube D flows through the hole in thepartition 3 into the chamber B, where it reacts on the alkali peroxidcontained therein, so that oxygen is evolved, which escapes through thepipe K, the hole in the partition 4, and tube G into the bag H, it beingprevented from escaping through the pipe D by the cap 13 closing the topend of the same. The air exhaled by the user passes through the tube Fand the perforation in the partition 1 into the filter E and thencethrough the chamber 0, charged with alkali peroxid, and the filter Einto the space M. In the chamber 0 the above-described reaction betweenthe carbonic dioxid and vapor of water contained in the exhaled air andthe alkali peroxid takes place, whereby the exhaled air is enriched inoxygen. The oxygen contained in the bag H serves to compensate for anyirregularities in the reaction and breathing and to furnish any oxygenrequired beyond that supplied by the reaction taking place in thechamber 0. On breathing in again the previously-exhaled air enriched inoxygen, and thus regenerated, goes back through filter E chamber C, andfilter E to the tube F, the last traces of vapor of water and carbonicdioxid being thereby removed with absolute certainty. The filtersprevent any particles of alkali peroxid or hydroxid or carbonate fromentering into the tube F.

The apparatus just described will permit a person to remain and breathefreely in any locality filled with obnoxious or poisonous gases as longas alkali peroxid is contained in the chamber C; but when the alkaliperoxid is exhausted the products of reaction (alkali carbonate and asmall quantity of alkali hydroxid, have to be removed from the chamber0, and this chamber hasto be filled again with alkali peroxid. Thiswill, however, be possible only under exceptional conditions. In themajority of cases the receptacle A will be removed and thrown away andreplaced by a fresh one after the contents of the chamber C areexhausted.

The apparatus is very cheap and simplein construction and very efiicientand reliable in operation, (there being no valves at all in theapparatus,) and besides it can be made so light and of so small a volumethat it can be carried by a person withoutinterfering with his freemovements. Indeed, an apparatus of about three and a half pounds inweight will furnish an amount of oxygen sufi'icient for forty minutesbreathing. Therefore this apparatus will be particularly useful forminers, firemen, and in similar cases.

We are aware that it has been proposed to regenerate vitiated air bycausing predetermined quantities of alkali peroxid to drop successivelyinto water contained in a closed chamber and by causing the vitiated airto pass through such chamber, so that it mixes with the oxygen thereproduced, the carbonic dioxid contained in such vitiated air beingabsorbed by the caustic-alkali solution formed by the reaction betweenthe alkali peroxid and the water. In contradistinction thereto we causethe exhaled air itself to pass through the alkali peroxid, so as tocause the vapors of water and the carbonic dioxid contained therein toact directly upon the alkali peroxid, and so to produce the oxygenrequired for regenerating the exhaled air, totally or in great part bythis breathed-out air itself. In other Words, we utilize forregenerating the breathed out air its vitiating elements themselves,thus not only insuring that these vitiating elements are totally removedwith absolute certainty and that an amount of oxygen is always producedby the reaction which exactly corresponds to the quantity of carbonicdioxid and vapor of water contained in the exhaled air, therebyrendering the apparatus self-regulating, but also that the waterrequired for producing oxygen in the case above referred to is dispensedwith and all irregularities in the production of oxygen and theregeneration of the vitiated air connected with the introduction ofsuccessive portions of alkali peroxid into the water are entirelyavoided.

We claim- 1. In an apparatus for regenerating exhaled air forrespiration purposes, the combination of a rigid casing containing achamber filled with alkali peroxid or peroxids and also containingspaces on each side of said chamber, a tube adapted to connect saidspaces, and means for normally closing said tube and forming a passagetherethrough when desired, substantially as described.

2. In an apparatus for regenerating exhaled air for respirationpurposes, the combination of a rigid casing provided with a chamberfilled with alkali peroxid or peroxids and having spaces on each sidethereof, a closed tube adapted to connect said spaces, means forestablishing communication through said tube when desired, and anair-tight bag connected with one of said spaces, substantially asdescribed.

3. In an apparatus for regenerating exhaled air for respiration purposesthe combination of a chamber adapted to be filled with alkali peroxid orperoxids, a tube adapted to connect such chamber at one end to abreathingspace, means for normally breaking the communication of suchtube with such chamber,

means for establishing such communication, a closed space connected tothe other end of such chamber, a second chamber adapted to be filledwith alkali peroxid or peroxids, a

.tube adapted to be filled with water, means bag adapted to be connectedwith such closed space substantially as described.

4:. In an apparatus for regenerating exhaled air for respirationpurposes the combination of a chamber adapted to be filled with alkaliperoxid or peroxids, a tube adapted to connect such chamber at one endto the breathingspace, a filter interposed between such tube and suchchamber, means for normally breaking the communication of such tube withsuch chamber, means for establishing such communication, a closed spacecommunicating with the other end of such chamber and a filter interposedbetween such space and such chamber substantially as described.

5. In an apparatus for regenerating exhaled air an alkali-peroxidchamber a tube connecting one end of such chamber with thebreathing-space, an air-tight transverse partition in such tube betweenthe chamber and the breathing-space, means for perforating suchpartition and a closed space communicating with the other end of suchchamber.

6. In an apparatus for regenerating exhaled air an alkali-peroxidchamber, a tube connect ing one end of such chamber with thebreathing-space, means for breaking and opening such communication, aclosed space communicating with the other end of such chamber, a secondalkali peroxid chamber, a tube adapted to be filled with water andleading to such second chamber, a partition between such water tube andthe second chamber, means for connecting the second chamber with theclosed space, an air-tight bag, a partition between such bag and theclosed space and means for perforating the said partitions substantiallyas described.

7. In an apparatus for regenerating exhaled air for respiration purposestwo alkali-peroxid chambers a closed space between them communicatingwith one end of the upper chamber a tube adapted to be filled with waterand leading to the lower chamber such tube being closed at both ends bypartitions, a tube connecting one end of the upper chamber to thebreathing-space, a partition in such tube, an airtight bag, a partitionbetween such bag and the closed space, a pipe connecting such closedspace to the lower chamber, means for simultaneously perforating thesaid partitions and means for breaking direct communication between thesaid closed space and the tube leading to the breathing-spacesimultaneous] y with perforating such partitions substantially asdescribed.

8. In an apparatus for regenerating exhaled I air for respirationpurposes two superposed alkali-peroxid chambers, a closed space betweenthem and along the lower one of them communicating with one end of theupper chamber, a tube adapted to be filled with Water and leading to thelower chamber, such tube being closed at both ends by partitions, a tubeconnecting one end of the upper chamber to the breathing-space, apartition in such tube, an air-tight bag, a partition between such bagand theclosed space, a pipe connecting such closed space to the lowerchamber, a cap adapted to snugly fit the upper end of the water-tube,all the said partitions and the cap being in line, and the cap beinginterposed between the uppermost and the next following partition, rodsheld in line resting with perforating-cones at their lower ends againstthe upper sides of the partitions and with their upper ends against thelower sides of the partitions, and means for depressing the uppermost ofthese rods, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we aifix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

MAX BAMBERGER. FRIEDRICH BocK. FRIEDRICH WANZ.

Witnesses:

J. LISSNER, ALVESTO S. Hoeuu.

